Saints can emulate Swansea cup success say's Hooiveld

25 September 2013 09:15

Jos Hooiveld wants Saints to emulate Swansea's Capital One Cup heroics of last season in this year's competition.

The centre half, pictured below celebrating his goal, netted the second in last night’s 2-0 third round victory over Bristol City, at St Mary’s.

That booked the club a place in the last 16, with the identity of their opponents set to be discovered tonight.

Hooiveld said he is not concerned about who Saints get in the next round, insisting they are fully focused on winning the competition and replicating Swansea’s achievement of last season.

When asked what sort of a draw he wants, the defender said: “That doesn’t matter. I think we know have a great team and whatever they throw at us we have to deal with, because we want to get there in the end.

“What Swansea did last year we want to do this year.”

Hooiveld’s header from a late James Ward-Prowse corner relieved a great deal of tension for Saints, after they had come under some concerted pressure from their League 1 opponents during the second half.

Saints had looked to be cruising at half-time, after a sumptuous Gastón Ramírez volley had put them in front, but they came close to relinquishing the advantage after the break.

“It was just one of those games we had to win and get through to the next round,” said Hooiveld. “That’s what cup football is. It’s not always pretty. It was a hard-fought battle.

“It was very entertaining. They played at one moment all or nothing.

“They did very well. It was about half-an-hour that we were in a lot of trouble. Luckily we didn’t concede, we had great saves from Kelvin and we got through it. That’s what’s important.”

The match marked Hooiveld’s first appearance of the season, having missed the second round win at Barnsley through illness.

“It’s always nice to get games, especially at the moment when we’ve had five games and I’ve not made a start and not made an appearance,” said the 30-year-old. “It’s good to get 90 minutes.”

Hooiveld also revealed his delight at scoring for the first time since the 4-0 victory over Coventry at the end of the 2011/12 season, a win that had booked Saints a place in the Premier League.

It was a particularly sweet moment for the Dutchman, as it went some way to easing the pain of the three own goals he conceded last term.

“It’s very nice, especially on the right side,” he said. “Last year, of course, was a bit of a tough year with the stats – three own goals. Somehow it always sticks to people that you can be reminded for it for a long while.”